Friday, December 31, 2010

The New Year will arrive in just a few hours, so what better time than the present to do a quick recap of Jane's Sweets & Baking Journal's 2010 highlights? It was indeed a sweet, tasty, and memorable year. Here's a little sampling of one item from each month . . . these were among my personal favorites!

January 2010 --The Sweet Potato Pound Cake . . . this turned out to be one of those recipes that really surprised me. Who would have thought you could make something so pleasing from a humble potato?

March 2010 -- Jumbo Blueberry Muffins . . . (oh, and did I mention these are BIG?) Rarely does a muffin evoke stares of amazement like these babies do. Not just because of their mighty girth, mind you, but because of their extreme Yum Factor.

April 2010 -- Honey Oatmeal Sandwich Bread . . . this post was bittersweet because it centered on my father-in-law, "Grandpa Joe," whom we'd lost a few days before I wrote it. He loved to bake bread and I couldn't help thinking of him while I prepared this recipe.

May 2010 --Tart Cherry Frozen Yogurt with Crispy Honey Cookies . . . mmmm, tart is right! I'd never made frozen yogurt before, and I was tickled pink with the way it turned out. The crunchy honey cookies were a fine foil for the lip-puckering tang of this bright fro-yo! This post was also one of my faves because it documented a robin's nest, with two lovely eggs in it, that a mama bird built in a little flower pot hanging on our fence. My family and I monitored its progress like anxious parents-to-be until the babies hatched and, after a couple of weeks, flew off to see the world and make their own families.

June 2010 -- Chocolate-Filled Coconut Macaroon Sandwich Cookies . . . no, these weren't those fragile pastel treatsthat have been all the rage for a couple of years now in baking circles . . . but they're just as good, if not better! The hubby and I loved these cookies. Recommended!

July 2010 -- Chocolate Mousse Dream Cake . . . This one was dear to my heart, but not just because it's a fabulously decadent cake. I made this for my 14-year old son Nathan's birthday, at his special request. Not only was it a luscious dessert to serve at any birthday, it was a poignant birthday celebration to me because my littlest boy just isn't little anymore!

October 2010 -- The Cake that Thinks it's a Pumpkin . . . this is what you might call a cake with an identity crisis but, oh, what an intriguing crisis to have! I never expected to get such a big reaction out of the people who saw this cake--one that I made in my Theme Cakes class. What a lot of fun it was to work on this. And easy? Anyone can make it . . . I sketched out instructions in the post.

November 2010 -- Apple, Quince, and Pear-filled Sweet Rolls . . . nothing like a nice breakfast roll, warm, sweet, and sticky with autumn's most charming fruit. I made these on a school day when my Pastry I class was unexpectedly canceled. It was a much enjoyed windfall of free time that I chose to spend in the kitchen--of course!

December 2010 -- Sam the Snowman Cake . . . I have to tell you that I feel a special kinship with this fictional character now, after having spent so dang much time on this cake! Heck, I'll never be able to watch Rudolph on TV again without thinking about it. It's like the cake-decorating equivalent of a getting a tattoo.

Wow, 2010 sure went by fast, didn't it? I know I'm looking forward to whatever 2011 brings to us bakers, one and all. Expect I'll be whipping up something new to share with you in a couple of days. Until then, Have the happiest New Year ever!!

Warmly,

Jane :)

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(If you'd like to comment on this post, or to read any existing comments, please click on the purple COMMENTS below!)T

I love this post, most of all the beautiful pictures of all of the desserts. That chocolate mouse cake just looks divine. I might have to try that one, but then again I have so many of your recipes I would like to try....:-)

I've only just discovered your BBB (brilliant baking blog) since this past June/July, and wow! - I now see all that I've missed out on this past year. Thank goodness (and thank you, too) for blog archives.

All these recipes and all these photos, coupled with your great writing style make this blog my favourite, bar none.

Thanks for sharing all this with us throughout the year, and long may you continue writing such lovely and inspiring posts, time after time.

Thanks for the 2010 recap (great idea, btw!!). Looks you had another successful baking year. The fruity yeast rolls are still on my todo list :o) I wish you and your family a very happy new year filled with happiness, good health and lots of baking adventures! :o)

Recipe Index . . .

Just click on that slice of brie cheesecake with strawberries, above, to get to the Recipe Index!

Welcome!

Jane's Sweets & Baking Journalwas born of my ever increasing desire to learn more about the baking and pastry arts, and of my love for anything and everything related to baking. Just as food is meant to be shared, so is knowledge among bakers and among those who enjoy delicious foods prepared from scratch. So, please partake, and feel free to share your thoughts and comments. I'd love to hear from you.

If you'd like to know a bit about me please click here, or look for the tiny photo of a pink cupcake topped by a strawberry, further down, in the "About me"section. You can also reach me by email at janessweets@gmail.com . . .

Warmly,Jane

Saveur featured Jane's Sweets & Baking Journal . . .

. . . in their Daily Fare section. We're honored to be on their "Best of the Web" list!

Espresso Chocolate Chip Pound Cake . . .

An interesting variation on cherries jubilee . . .

Dutch apple cake . . .

. . . it's divine!

What We Talk About . . .

. . . When We Talk About Banana Cake!

JANE'S FAVORITE BAKING BOOKS

About Professional Baking: The Essentials, by Gail Sokol. This is a textbook, but not one that's intimidating. It contains lots of useful info, including interesting personal profiles of professional chefs.

All-American Cookie Book, by Nancy Baggett. Another winner of the IACP award. Loads of good looking cookie recipes with lots of very appetizing photos. (Don't you love cookbooks with tons of pictures? I do.)

All-American Dessert Book, by Nancy Baggett. Wonderfully detailed, with very reliable recipes, Baggett does it again in this valuable cookbook. Definitely worth your time!

Art & Soul of Baking, by Cindy Mushet. This large Gourmet Cook Book Club Selection is a feast for the eyes. I love the page layout, the photos, and the author's reassuring tone. Recipes range from the quotidian ("classic sugar cookies") to the ridiculous ("Moroccan-spiced sweet-potato tiropetes") to the absolute sublime ("duo-tone chocolate pots de creme"). Worth acquiring.

Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft, by the Culinary Institute of America. This is a heavy duty textbook, not for the faint of heart. Intimidating, sure, but also kind of fascinating if you're an obsessive bake-a-holic like me.

Baking with Julia, written by Dorie Greenspan and based on the PBS series hosted by Julia Child. Yet another hefty and dazzling coffee-table-worthy cookbook. Wonderful to have around. (My copy was autographed by Julia herself!)

Betty Crocker's Picture Cookbook, published in 1950 and available in a facsimile edition, holds a special place in my heart. This is the book my mom primarily used, or so it seemed, when I was a kid. The photos are such period pieces, and the little notations that accompany recipes are pricelessly cute and corny. I have an ancient copy that I still use. Every girl needs a copy of this in her house, for good karma if nothing else.

Bitter Sweet -- Recipes and Tales From a Life in Chocolate, by Alice Medrich. Much more than just a cookbook with a focus on fine dark chocolate, this is also a memoir of sorts from a legendary chocolate-dessert creator. Medrich is often credited with awakening American tastes to the finest aspects of superior chocolate. Very interesting read!

Bread: A Baker's Book of Techniques and Recipes,by Jeffrey Hamelman. An indispensable book for anyone who is seriously interested in learning to make fine yeast breads, Hamelman shares far more than just technical knowledge. Like fellow bread guru Peter Reinhart, his warmth of spirit and deep love for the tradition of bread baking shines through on every page.

Breakfast Book, by Marion Cunningham. Not to be confused with the character of the mom on Happy Days, the real Marion Cunningham has a long list of writing accomplishments, the most well known being that she completely revised The Fannie Farmer Cookbook. A contemporary of the late James Beard's, she is still held in high esteem.

Cake Bible, by Rose Levy Beranbaum. Rose is really into the science of baking, which can be helpful in some respects and off-putting in others. Like gardeners who talk mostly about soil components without conveying their joy in the plants themselves. Maybe I'm too sensitive? Probably so, as many consider this to be an invaluable classic. Despite my reservations, I wouldn't part with my copy. One of several highly detailed books by Rose. Her latest book, Heavenly Cakes, is much more down to earth, loaded with photos, and truly beautiful.

Cake Book, by Tish Boyle. I've called it a treasure trove before and please allow me to say it again here. This book is jam packed with wonderful stuff that's well explained. I used the Sacher-torte recipe in the fall of '09 for a culinary school project and it didn't let me down. I can endorse this book without reservation. I love it.

Complete Book of Pastry Sweet & Savory, by Bernard Clayton, Jr. When this book appeared in 1981, famed food editor Craig Claiborne praised it in the NYT as "one of the most important cookbooks of this year, if not of this decade." No photos, but don't let that dissuade you.

Craft of Baking, by Karen DeMasco & Mindy Fox. In 2009, some great new cookbooks were published and this was one of them. Down to earth, straightforward without being condescending, this smart guide offers creative and simple twists on dozens of diverse and well-proven "cakes, cookies, and other sweets."

Dessert University, by Roland Mesnier. As the White House executive pastry chef for over two decades, Mesnier has a lot of wisdom to impart. He does so well in this book, which is designed specifically for home bakers. A good book!

Grand Central Baking Book, by Piper Davis and Ellen Jackson. Readers are welcomed into these pages with a tone of warmth and familiarity. The photos alone will have you scribbling a grocery list. Try the berry kuchen recipe--simple and scrumptious.

Hershey's Chocolate Treasury, published in 1984 by Hershey Foods and chock full of old reliables. The recipe for Black Magic cake is one I've used again and again--invaluable!

How to Bake, by Nick Malgieri. The writing style is matter of fact and fairly informal. That's one of my favorite things about Malgieri's books.

Magical Art of Cake Decorating, by Carole Collier. Sometimes at a used book sale you find an old gem like this. Published in '84, I found it very encouraging when I first began decorating cakes. The recipes are rock solid reliable.

Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts, by Maida Heatter. Famed baker (apparently her "Palm Beach Brownies" are known far and wide), whose work has centered on wondrous chocolate desserts, Heatter received a James Beard award for this book, one of many she's published over several active decades.

Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook, by Martha Stewart. Beautiful photos, but I must admit I've come to have reservations about the reliability of some of the recipes. Is it just me? Though I love flipping through the book for ideas, I'm a bit on the fence with this one when it comes to actual usage.

Martha Stewart's Wedding Cakes by Martha Stewart. Talk about a stunning and inspiring book! Chances are you may never decide to actually make one of the cakes from this glorious volume, but it's enough just to page through the gorgeous pictures and interesting recipes. Expensive? For sure, but worth it.

Passion for Baking, A by Marcy Goldman. If you're curious about how professional bakers manage to make things come out nicely every time, you'll appreciate this book. Goldman, in her highly approachable style, divulges many of their simple--but enormously helpful--tricks and techniques, and shows readers how to implement them throughout the wondrous array of down-to-earth recipes that pack this great book. Loads of enticing photos, too! I love this book!

Perfect Cakes, by Nick Malgieri. Can't say enough about Malgieri's books. Absolutely worth using, versus just reading! The white and dark chocolate cheesecake is to die for; I've made it a few times, along with many other recipes from this book, and it is superb.

Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Everyday, by Peter Reinhart. This book is a revelation for anyone who approaches yeast recipes like a vampire approaches the dawn. Talk about down to earth, encouraging, and flexible! This guy knows how to talk to rookie breadmakers. Well worth reading, and using, this volume will find a comfy place in your cookbook collection--a worthwhile purchase, undoubtedly!

Professional Cake Decorating, by Toba Garrett. I get the impression that this book is perceived as the most thorough and comprehensive text available for serious students of cake decorating. This is the text that we used for my culinary school Beginning Cake Decorarting class (which means I finally own my own copy!).

Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Hands to Yours, by Sarabeth Levine. Almost too pretty to use, but use it anyway! This big book is so appealing, and the photos so remarkably enticing, you'll want to pick it up like a sandwich and bite right into it. Fine recipes for updated classics, well explained, from the famous Manhattan bakery. Worth buying. (You'll love it!)

Secrets of Baking, by Sherry Yard. A must have, bakers! This cookbook's forte is the way it's organized; master recipes are presented with full explanations of how they can be used, and related recipes follow, section by section. An exceptional manual to refer to. Get your own copy!

Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes, by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne. Huntsman is the professional pastry chef behind this beautiful book, filled with many tempting recipes, all designed specifically and scaled perfectly for three layers. I've made the Devil's food cake thus far, and it was exceptional--it rose well, was very moist, and had great depth of flavor. I'll be using this book more in the future, without a doubt. Love the photos also!

Every Baker Needs Good Karma

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Hey, Everybody Needs a Little Integrity . . .

I Pledge . . .

. . . to never endorse a product of any kind on Jane's Sweets & Baking Journal that I do not believe in. I've never done so thus far, and I vow never to do so. If I tell you I think something is great, or that I think it is worth spending real money on, then I mean it, rest assured. I promise. And, if I ever talk about a product that I've been given to review or try out, I will disclose that in the post.

Very Sincerely,Jane

About Me

I'm a mom with two great sons (both now in college), and a really nice husband. I left a long editorial career in reference publishing a few years ago and I've had nary a regret. I recently finished (after four part-time years!) a Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate program in the Culinary Studies Institute at a local community college. It was a lot of fun, a lot of work, and I am so glad I did it. These days, I do a lot of freelance editorial work, something that I really enjoy.
"Jane's Sweets" was the name of a very small baking enterprise that I started in late 2007. It bloomed a bit, for a little while, with encouragement from my husband, my aunt, and my first cake decorating teacher, Cindy. Because my Aunt Lydia was my most ardent female supporter in this baking endeavor (she was a lifelong independent business owner herself), this blog is dedicated to her memory. If heaven is real, then I know she's there with my mom, baking up a storm. Like Lydia said one day, just before her 80th birthday, while she and my mom and I were baking in my mom's kitchen, "It's been a fun ride. I'd do it all over again!"

Love me, love my mixer . . .

If my house were on fire, I'd grab my family, then I'd grab my KitchenAid mixer.

Copyright 2009-2015, on original content and photos, Jane's Sweets & Baking Journal. Please contact me at janessweets@gmail.com for permission if you'd like to reuse any of my photos or my content. Please consider informing me if you link to my blog--I'd love to know. --Thanks for visiting!